Forget me not
by Antigone2
Summary: An anon gave me a prompt on tumblr and I tweaked it, changed it, flipped it around and now it's barely recognizable as the same story but I am still blaming tumblr for all of this.
1. Chapter 1

It was a blip. They happened sometimes, little pockets of left-behind things. Once it was a forgotten Daimon egg, another time it was a small rip in spacetime that let through something dark and shadowy that shouldn't exist. Once Minako swears it was a malevolent alien but Ami insisted it was just a hapless pigeon who stumbled onto the residue left behind from a Black Moon dark point. In each case, the fight was quick, easy and - the best part - _done_ in one fell swoop.

Plus, Luna would say, at least it keeps them from getting complacent and flabby after the battle with Galaxia had ended. Which inevitably would make Usagi groan and say, "Maybe I _want_ to be complacent and flabby."

This time, it was an evil spirit, awoken by some construction at the corner of Juuban park. There was an urban legend about a woman who murdered her lover... (Minako was the one who loved that stuff, Usagi would scream and cover her ears) in any case, it was a spirit or ghost or _some_ thing that Sailor Moon and the girls dispatched in a burst of healing energy. Whatever darkness was there didn't want to let go of its vengeance, however, and sent a blast of dark smog right at Sailor Moon just as she was celebrating her victory with a fist pump.

"Sailor Moon!" Venus shouted, pushing her out of the way. The smog seemed to follow the Moon senshi though, hovering over her face for a bit while she attempted to hold her breath.

 _"You took my revenge from me,"_ the spirit hissed before it vanished, " _so I will take something precious from you."_

It took Sailor Moon a while to recover from her coughing fit, but soon she was clear-eyed and blinking at Venus. "I'm fine," she said.

"She said 'I will take something from you,"" Mercury said, running to Sailor Moon and tapping on her computer. "Are you missing anything?"

Sailor Moon frowned, looking down and around at her body and the surrounding area. "I seem to be intact. Silver Crystal, check. Transformation, check."

"Detransfrom and transform again, see what happens."

She obliged, it went flawlessly. As Usagi Tsukino, she looked through her bag, everything seemed fine. She made a quick call home from a payphone and according to her mother, the whole family was present and accounted for.

It was decided they head back to Rei's to continue to check Usagi over.

"Your ring is missing," Rei observed out loud, but Usagi was already too far away to hear so Minako answered for her.

"No, no, it's just being resized. It's safe at Osaka's. Anyway, if the worst thing that happened is Mamoru has to spring for another engagement ring I'd consider that a wash."

"I think whatever the monster meant to do, it didn't work," Usagi said, later at Rei's. She sighed as Ami scanned her with the computer one more time. "I don't _feel_ any different. I still have all my possessions. I am still Sailor Moon, I am still Usagi, everything is good, okay?"

"It's your mind, something's... not right," Ami murmured, zooming in on something on the small screen.

"Ha, don't need to tell us that, Ami," Rei said earning her a glare from Usagi.

"Hey!"

"Usagi, do you know what year it is?" Ami quizzed, asking her rapid-fire questions about her family, classmates, current events. She answered all with the typical Usagi knowledge.

"What about Sailor Moon? What was your first battle?"

"Naru. Jewelery store. Dark Kingdom," Usagi said, with the same clipped manner in her voice as Ami. She seemed amused. "Queen Beryl - that whole thing."

"Then?"

"The demon tree," Usagi wiggled her fingers, drawing out the word 'demon' in a spooky voice that made Minako nod in pride.

"Then, it was the Black Moon wanting Chibi-Usa," Usagi said, ticking off on her fingers. "Hotaru and Professor Creepypants, the circus freaks and Nehelenia, Galaxia and the end of all life as we knew it-" she cringed a little, "with Chibi-Chibi and the Starlights and all that. You think this thing stole my memories of past battles? If ONLY."

Ami sighed. " _Some_ thing happened. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what it is."

"Can I go now?" Usagi whined. "I'm missing Manga Club and it's, like, the only thing about high school I actually _like_."

Minako had been watching the whole scene with calculating eyes. "Hey, Usagi-chan, do you have a boyfriend?" she asked suddenly, as Usagi was already heading toward the door with her bag slung over her shoulder.

"Huh?" she blinked.

Rei gave Minako a sharp glance and Makoto raised her eyebrows. I _t's true, she usually doesn't go this long without mentioning him,_ Ami thought.

"Well?" Minako asked, still eyeing Usagi carefully.

"Uh... no?" The smaller girl laughed a little. "Whatever, Minako, if I did you'd be the first to know, okay?"

"Usagi," Rei said, and Usagi seemed surprised at Rei's shocked expression.

"Jeeze, sorry, you'll be second, Rei. Trust me, you all, when I get a boyfriend I'm sure I'll _never_ shut up about it."

"You have a point," Minako muttered.

"So, Usagi, wait," Ami shifted on her legs, sitting up higher. "Why did Queen Beryl attack the Silver Millennium?"

"Because she was jealous of my mother's power," Usagi said, looking as if the answer was obvious. "You already quizzed me on all this stuff!"

"Why didn't you and An get along?" Rei asked.

"Ugh, she hated me because her creepy brother-slash- boyfriend wouldn't leave me alone," Usagi sighed. "Also, she was _evil_ at the time so you can't say I was _wrong_ not to like her."

"What about Chibi-Usa?" Makoto demanded. "Who was she?"

"My cousin," Usagi looked at Makoto oddly. "Came to stay with us for a while, also a senshi, pink hair, cute kitten, ring a bell?"

"Who did Nehelenia kidnap that time she came back?"

"Chibi-Usa," Usagi answered. "And I went through hell to get her back, re _mem_ ber?"

"But wh-"

"Can I _go_?" she interrupted, bouncing a little on her feet. "Manga cluuuuuuuub. I bet all the cookies are gooooone by now."

"Yes," Ami said, "yes go, you seem to be fine. Have a fun time."

Usagi waved and left, and as soon as she was out of earshot, Rei rounded on Ami.

"What the heck? She's obviously not 'fine'!"

"I know!" Ami said, "I know! That thing must have somehow taken her memories of Mamoru somehow. It's like he was erased from all past events." She felt sick. _I will take something precious from you._ This has to be fixable, she thought.

"So," Makoto said, "we get some photos, some letters, gather them up, show her and jog her memory. Easy peasy."

Ami looked concerned. "I am not sure that's a good idea right now. It might really upset her or confuse her. You have to be really careful in these situations. Usagi's mental health may depend on it."

"So what we just... do nothing?" Makoto said, upset.

"No, no," Ami said, "not nothing, obviously. We just need to be careful about how we approach this. Confronting her about this probably isn't a good first step."

"But I know what is," Minako said. "Rei, can I use your phone?" she said, stepping into action.

"Why?"

But Minako was already headed to Rei's nightstand, all business.

"Minako, don't you dare make a long-distance call on my phone!"

"It's not long distance."

"You are calling Mamoru in America, aren't you?" Rei demanded, following her with her hands on her hips. "Do you know how _expensive_ that is without a calling card?"

Minako lifted the phone and made a big show of pressing "0", "See?" she said to Rei. "Not long distance. Yes, hello operator? I'd like to make a collect call overseas."

Ami sighed, putting her head to her hand. "That's so expensive," she muttered.

Rei shrugged. "As long as I'm not paying."

"Hey, Mamoru, it's me, Minako!" Minako was saying into the phone, "Thanks for accepting the charges! Listen, question real quick, do you know a girl named Tsukino Usagi?... O _h good._ "

She gave a thumbs up to the other girls, "It must only be her, then... what? No, she's fine. There was a little battle... oh! you felt that! Wow, cool, even from so far away you... oh okay, right sorry. No, Usagi is totally fine. The picture of health. Yup. Oh? why I called you?... it's _what_ time there? Where you sleeping?... Okay, ya know what, Mamoru, I don't appreciate your sarcasm. Anyway, Usagi is doing just great but... funny story, she sort of doesn't remember you two are dating... Yeah, it some sort of weird curse from the spirit. I don't even know if she remembers you at _all_ but she definitely doesn't know you are together. In fact, all her memories seem to be changed to disclude you, it's weird."

"Disclude isn't a word," Ami murmured.

"It IS so a word, I just SAID it," Minako said to Ami, who gestured frantically toward the phone. "Oh! Right!" Minako turned back to her conversation.

"Sorry, I didn't hear what you said. Look, in any case, I'm sure it's totally fixable and she'll be fine I just wanted to give you a heads up do NOT call her or anything because she won't know who you are... a joke!? Mamoru, would I call you collect in the middle of the night just for a joke?... Yeah, okay, point taken. But no, this is real see?"

She held up the phone to Ami who reluctantly leaned toward the mouthpiece. "Yeah, Mamoru, sorry. It's true b-"

Minako snatched the phone back, "Anyways, this call is getting pricy for you, so why don't you go back to sleep. Don't worry about a _thing_. Don't even think about the fact that the love of your life has no idea you exist because we _totes_ got this. Have a great week, Mamoru! Byeeee!"

She hung up and brushed her hands together. "Welp, now loverboy is appraised of the situation so that's step one taken care of."

"Minako," Rei said, "you just hung up on that poor man, what is wrong with you?"

Minako shook her head, slinging her arm around her friend, "Rei, Rei, Rei, Rei. Do you really think he's not already on his way to the airport?"


	2. Chapter 2

ok ok! So I PROMISE you this wasn't supposed to turn out as angsty as it did but I also PROMISE YOU everything turns out okay jfc

* * *

"See? I was right, _as_ _usual,"_ Minako said smugly, when Ami showed up at Rei's after school the next day with an exhausted looking Mamoru in tow.

"So you just up and left in the middle of the quarter?" Rei asked him, looking concerned.

Mamoru shrugged tiredly, rubbing his hand over his face. "I emailed my professors from the plane. I'll be getting notes and making up labs when I get back, but I should be okay."

"Well, hopefully you won't need to be in town for long," Ami said, "maybe just seeing your face will make Usagi remember you. This curse, for lack of a better word, was the dying power burst from a relatively weak dark energy so it shouldn't be too strong or binding."

"Are you sure she has memories to retrieve?" Rei said, eyebrows knitting as she put her hand to her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe they were literally erased, like gone fore-" she trailed off when she saw the look on Mamoru's face, "No, no but of course, they are probably just locked away! Like with you, after Beryl."

"Right," Makoto said, giving an encouraging fist pump. "And that turned out fine! Just like this will!"

"Okay, I made plans to go with Usagi to the park in an hour," Minako said, putting her communicator (which she had been studiously typing on during the whole conversation) back in her purse. "You be there, and introduce yourself."

"Yeah, okay," he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Remember, we want to be careful not to shock her," Ami said, "so we can't reveal anything about her relationship with you unless she does first."

"I went to her house yesterday while she was at Manga Club and I packed up all the photos and letters and anything that was obviously related to Mamoru," Makoto said. "So, that's like a huge duffel bag of stuff I had to sneak out of her house but luckily Ikuko-mama wasn't suspicious."

"We'll say you are Ami's friend," Rei said to Mamoru, "since she takes college courses sometimes, it's a plausible story."

"Are you a good actor?" Minako said, kneeling in front of him. "'Cause you are gonna hafta pretend you don't know Usagi at all."

He looked at her, "So what you are asking is, am I good at hiding my feelings?"

She smirked at him. "Good point. Okay, well, do your thang then, I guess." She reached into her purse and pulled out a can of coffee, holding it out to him. "Here. I got this for you. You must be jet-lagged to hell and back."

"Yeah," he said, taking the can gratefully. "Don't think I've managed 'and back' yet to be honest."

Her expression softened. "Hey, don't worry. You two always end up together, no matter what crap gets thrown your way. This time won't be any different. I promise."

She patted his shoulder and stood up. "Now go home and take a quick shower or something, you look _really_ terrible."

"Thanks," he said, dryly.

* * *

Makoto joined Minako and Usagi on the walk to the park. The sun was setting and Usagi was starting to talk about getting dinner, when she noticed Rei, Ami and Mamoru deep in conversation near the benches by the lake.

Usagi visibly paused. "Who's that guy with Ami and Rei?" she said, tilting her head to the side.

"Uh... I dunno," Minako said, "Do you recognize him at all?"

"No," she said, looking a little confused. "I don't think so."

Rei and Ami had been wondering if maybe she'd remember him, if only by virtue of their interactions when they first met. But now, it was clear as far as Usagi was concerned she'd never seen him before in her life.

"Well, c'mon let's say hi," Makoto said, pulling Usagi's arm. "He's pretty cute, right?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, blushing a little. " _Really."_

Ami looked up and waved, glancing at Mamoru, who managed to keep his expression bland and friendly as the girls approached. Well, as long she didn't look at his eyes, that is.

"Hello everyone," Ami said, "this is my friend Mamoru Chiba. He's a college student, visiting from his study abroad in America."

"Hi there!" Minako bounded up with her usual Minako exuberance and held out her hand, "I'm Minako Aino, at your service."

Mamoru gave her a deadpan look, for a moment, before shaking her hand and pretending to just have met her. Makoto greeted him similarly, from where she stood behind Usagi, one hand on the smaller girl's shoulder.

"Usagi Tsukino," Usagi said, bowing slightly. Her cheeks were still a little pink.

"Ami's mentioned you," he said, "A few times." He reached out to shake her hand and she reciprocated, meeting his eyes. He smiled at her and she pulled her hand back a little too quickly, the flush deepening on her cheeks.

Usagi shifted her gaze to Ami who smiled encouragingly. "Only good things, I promise," she said to Usagi.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" she looked a little confused. It's not like her friends didn't have people in their life she never met, but it was an unusual enough occurrence to make her pause.

"Ah-,hmm," Ami opened her mouth and closed it again, glancing at Rei who shrugged back. They hadn't exactly prepared a back story to all this, hoping that just seeing her fiancé would be enough to jolt the memories back for Usagi. Since it hadn't, Plan B appeared to just be awkward conversation and avoiding questions.

 _Not our finest moment_ , Minako thought, shaking her head. Luckily, Usagi was a good conversationalist, in so much as awkward silences were always filled - _some_ how.

"So I guess you must be really smart like Ami, huh? To be studying at a foreign university?" Usagi said, putting her hand behind her head and sweatdropping a little. "I, um, guess you need to know other languages and stuff."

He nodded, a half-smile still on his face. "Yeah, it helps. Math is the universal language, though."

"Oh, a nerd," Minako said in a good-natured voice, winking at Usagi, who was looking slightly agitated as the conversation went on.

"Hey!" he and Ami said at the same time.

"Well, I guess that's something I don't get," Usagi laughed, nervously. "My best subject is lunch."

"And sleeping, don't forget sleeping," Rei added.

"That's not a subject, Rei, jeeze," she curled her arms around herself, looking annoyed. "But I am good at sleeping, yes," she had to admit.

"If it _was_ a subject, you'd get As in that, at least," he said, with a grin.

Minako wondered if it was as obvious to Usagi as it was to everyone else that he couldn't seem to look at anything else but her.

"Guess we can't all be geniuses who can study advanced mathematics in another language," Usagi said, her voice a little tense. Minako looked at her curiously, usually Usagi wasn't this quick to offense. " _Some_ of us need to be the ones who are only good at sleeping."

"How do you figure?" he said, and her mouth fell open a little for lack of a response.

"Speaking of food, maybe we should all go get something to eat," Makoto said, smoothly cutting in. "It is dinner time."

"That's a good idea," Ami said, turning to Mamoru, "you come, too, okay?"

"Sure."

"I don't want to," Usagi said suddenly.

"You don't want to... eat?" Rei was incredulous.

"I... am going home for dinner," Usagi pulled on a pigtail. "Uh, nice meeting you," she said to Mamoru, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I'm headed home." She turned and left and the girls shared mystified looks.

"I'll take this one," Makoto said, and disappeared after Usagi's rapidly retreating figure.

* * *

"Oh, good going, Casanova, maybe next time you can insult her hairstyle," Minako said, as soon as Usagi was out of earshot. "Just like old times, from what I'm told anyway."

"I didn't _do_ anything!" Mamoru said, sinking down onto the bench and putting his face in his hands. "And I _purposely_ avoided mentioning her hair, okay?"

"To be fair, he didn't say anything to her that would have deserved that kind of response," Ami pointed out.

"She was always like that around him, before they got together," Rei said. "I mean, even _worse_ because she was young and this one," she jerked her thumb toward Mamoru, "would purposely provoke her."

"Oh give me a break about that, please?" Mamoru sighed. "She just looked at me like she didn't even _know_ me. Do you know how that feels?"

"I don't, but _she_ does," Minako reminded him. "Once she has her memories back, you two can reminisce about all the shit you put each other through over a milkshake with two straws but for now... why did Usagi get so freaking _mad_ at him out of nowhere?"

"It's probably because she's already attracted to him," Ami said, thoughtfully. "She doesn't know what to do with it. It was the same back then."

"But that's good news, right?" Minako said, plopping down next to him on the bench with a grin. "It's obvious she totally thinks you are way hot."

"Oh good," Mamoru said, rolling his eyes. "Problem solved."

"Hey, hey girl, wait up," It didn't take Makoto more than a few jogging steps before she was walking at pace with Usagi. "What was that back there? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, running a fist over her eyes. "I just... I dunno."

Makoto caught Usagi by the shoulder, gently bringing her to a stop. "Talk to me, okay? Why did that guy upset you so much?"

Her lip trembled a bit. "I know I was rude to him, and I didn't mean to be. But." She sighed. "I don't want to say. You'll think I'm horrible."

Makoto looked at her friend with a kind expression. "I promise I will not think that, Usagi."

"He's..." Usagi sighed, lifting one shoulder in a half-shrug. "When he smiled at me..."

"You like him," Makoto supplied, easily. Her memories may be gone, but Usagi didn't let go of emotions quite so easily.

Her face red, Usagi tried to protest, but Makoto just smiled. "It's okay, Usagi."

"But he and Ami-"

"He's not with Ami," Makoto said, quickly. _Oh, damn, this is a complication I didn't foresee._ "Trust me, I'm positive those two are just friends."

Usagi looked doubtful for a moment, then her shoulders slumped a little. "It doesn't matter. I don't know what I'm thinking, I just _met_ him. He's, like, way different than me. Studying in America? What's _that_ about? Classes are hard enough in Japanese, let alone American."

"English."

"Whatever," she said, waving her hand as if to say 'see?'.

"Anyone would be _lucky_ to have you like them, Usagi," Makoto said, firmly.

Usagi just shrugged again. "It made me sad," she said. "That's all, I'm over it." She smiled. "Why don't you go back and join the others for dinner? I'll head home. I have some stuff to catch up on anyway." _What I was thinking, being jealous of Ami just because she seems to close to him? I really just need a few hours with some manga and chocolate cookies and I'll be fine...  
_

Makoto frowned, her brows lowered as she watched her friend walk away. "Ah, hell," she muttered under her breath.

Then, "Usagi?" she called, "Come with me, okay? I want to show you something."

* * *

Makoto got Usagi settled with a big slice of lemon cake and some warm milk (as good a dinner as any, especially for someone as emotionally tired as Usagi seemed), and sat across from her as Usagi shoveled some big bites of cake into her mouth.

"What's this all about anyway?" she asked, around a mouthful of food. Makoto smiled. Usagi was never one to stand on ceremony, that's for sure. "What's that?" she nodded at the bag Makoto had hauled over to the small table.

Without answering, Makoto unzipped the bag and handed Usagi a photo frame. "Here, see?" She had picked a photo of Chibi-Usa, Mamoru and Usagi- one where his arms were around both girls, and there was no question from the pose that he and Usagi were a couple.

With a confused look at her friend, Usagi took the photo and turned in over, blinking in shock. "That's-"

"See, Usagi?" Makoto said softly. "You don't have to be sad. He's already yours."

"I don't understand," she said, not taking her eyes off the photo. "How...?"

Makoto decided against starting at the beginning, mostly because she wasn't sure where 'the beginning' really was with those two. She instead jumped right off from the end. "Remember that battle yesterday, when that thing said it'd take something from you?"

Usagi nodded, unconsciously wrapping her hands around the photo frame and holding it to her chest.

"It took your memories of him," Makoto scooted closer to her friend, pulling the bag with her. She pulled out some more photographs. "He's been there since the beginning. He used to fight alongside us," -well mostly- she thought.

"Huh?"

Makoto dug around until she found a folder of newspaper clippings, "You were kind of obsessive about this sort of thing," she laughed, handing Usagi the folder. It was all the times Sailor Moon and the senshi were mentioned in print.

Usagi smiled, "I remember this folder. It's not as obsessive as Minako's okay, let's be real." Her smiled faded to thoughtful look as she flipped through. "I don't recall some of these articles, though."

"See? He's Tuxedo Kamen." She pointed to a photo in the newspaper.

"Okay, that definitely sounds made up," Usagi said, shaking her head. "Then again, to be fair, so does 'Sailor Moon'..." She leaned her head back and shut her eyes. "This is so much to process."

Makoto's silence was calming and comforting, she just let herself be there for Usagi. She also helped herself to a couple bites of cake, since Usagi was deep in thought.

Usagi opened her eyes suddenly, making Makoto jump and hide the fork behind her back. "Hmm?" she said, swallowing quickly.

"Makoto, does he remember _me_?"

"Yup," she said. The she murmured, "This time, anyway."

"What was that?"

"Never mind."

Just then, the phone rang, and Makoto put her hand on Usagi's shoulder as she stood. "Take all the time you need," she said gently, as she went to answer it.

* * *

"Hmm," Minako said, coming back inside the restaurant after using a payphone outside to call Makoto and check up on Usagi. "So I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?"

"Good," Rei said.

"Okay, just kidding, there is no good news." Minako said.

"Bad, then," Rei sighed, rolling her eyes.

"It's not really _bad_ news..."

"What is wrong with you?" Rei demanded, "Why did you say 'I have good news and bad news?"

Minako shrugged. "I always wanted to say that. Really, it probably would've been more accurate to say 'I have two news..es.'"

Ami and Mamoru shared an exasperated look and Minako pointed her finger at them accusingly. "You two are gonna have to stop acting all close and stuff, Usagi thought you were together."

"What!?" they said in unison.

Ami's mouth dropped open. "That's-"

"BS, I know," Minako said, shrugging. "But anyway, Makoto set her straight."

"Good," Ami muttered, still looking annoyed.

"But it explains why she ran off all upset," Rei said. Then she grinned. "Aww, even without remembering your relationship, she's still a jealous basketcase every time you talk to another woman that's so _cute_."

"Lucky me," Mamoru said.

"Can we please _focus_?" Ami said. "What's your 'other news'?"

Minako sighed and looked at Ami with a sheepish expression. "So... I guess, well, Usagi was sad."

"Uh-huh," Ami said.

"You how when she's sad, she goes those _eyes_..."

"Uh-huh," said Rei.

"And you know how Mako-chan gets when Usagi is sad?"

"The same way any of us get when Usako is sad?" Mamoru guessed and Minako grinned and did two finger guns at him.

"Yup, exactly."

"What did she do?" Rei said flatly.

"You know that bag full of all Usagi's Mamoru-related stuff that Mako-chan worked so hard to sneak out of Usagi's house yesterday?" Minako picked up a fry off Rei's plate, dodging the other girl's slapping hand. "Anyway, she just told her everything. Showed her the photos, spilled the beans, all of it."

"And?"

Minako popped the fry in her mouth and looked at Ami blankly. "And what?"

"How did Usagi take it? What did she do? Is she okay? Does she need us?"

"She didn't have a mental breakdown or anything, if that's what you mean," Minako said. "At least, I don't think she did, Mako-chan probably would've mentioned it."

* * *

"Okay, that was just Minako calling to ch-" Makoto trailed off as she entered the living room. The bag was still there, but the cake was gone, and so was Usagi. "Oh, hell," she muttered. "Mina's gonna kill me."


	3. Chapter 3

Usagi wasn't sure where exactly she was headed. It was getting late and cold, she hadn't eaten a real dinner, and her school bag was heavy because she'd shoved in more than a few photos and letters from Makoto's, with the intent to take them home. Which is exactly where she should go - home. To grab some leftovers from the fridge, make sure her mother knew she was alive, and see if Luna could shed any light on the details of what Usagi had forgotten.

But instead she ended up walking aimlessly through the streets, her mind whirling. _How could I forget something like that?_ She concentrated on her memories of 'meeting' him earlier, to see if thinking back on that moment would spark anything, but her traitor mind instantly went to the way his hair fell across his forehead, the twist of his mouth when he smiled ... and her heart thudded in her chest. _Ugh, no help there._

Usagi shook her head, regrouped. Instead, she thought back, back to her first battle as Sailor Moon. She tried to examine every moment of that night: the feeling of transforming, the fear when she heard Naru's voice, her scraped knee, her tears - high pitched and heaven sent - shaking the entire store.

Makoto told Usagi that Mamoru was there from the beginning, as Tuxedo Kamen. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remember. It was like listening to a song and suddenly the radio cuts out and there is nothing but static before the song returns. She remembered standing there in her unfamiliar senshi uniform, with her unfamiliar weapon, lost and so, so _alone_. Then then... less alone. But nothing bridged the two thoughts. Maybe-

Usagi collided with someone at such force she would've fallen backward if his hands hadn't instinctively grabbed her upper arms, keeping her upright.

She looked up at Mamoru in shock.

"Are you okay?" he asked, releasing her arms now that she was steadied, trying not to show his reluctance to let her go. He reminded himself to keep her at a distance, at least until she was more comfortable with him. Funny how he'd spent his entire life keeping people at distance, and how difficult he was finding the idea now.

"I'm so sorry," Usagi said, stepping back.

"It's okay," he said, with a half-smile. "We actually do this a lot."

"No, I mean," Usagi sniffled and shut her eyes against the burning tears, her voice a hoarse whisper. "I'm so _sorry_." She put her hand to her mouth, as if the would keep her sobs at bay.

"No, don't-" he curled his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her. Doing so felt familiar in such an awful way.

"It'll all be okay," Mamoru said, automatically. It was a stupid platitude, he knew that, but he had to do something. Her tears were breaking his heart.

Hesitantly, he reached out and put a hand on her arm. In response, Usagi stumbled forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, still crying.

"I don't know what to do," she said, and he put a hand on the top of her head and shut his eyes. She tightened her grip on him, buried her face in his chest, and suddenly dropping everything and flying thousands of miles was infinitely worth it.

"We'll figure it out," he said. "We always do."

"Welp, we found her," Minako said, rounding the corner and spotting them. She pursed her lips and shook her head.

"I'll let Mako-chan know," Rei said, pulling out her communicator while she muttered, "How many people live in Tokyo? How many streets are there? Those two are like magnets, I swear."

"Hmm," Ami put her finger on her chin, "they really are, aren't they? I mean, statistically, even if you consider we all live and spend time in the same general area, the amount of time they've 'coincidentally' ran into each other certainly defies a certain logic."

"Ami, I love you, but you are making eavesdropping really difficult right now," Minako said, waving her hand at her friend and leaning forward toward Usagi and Mamoru. "Note to self, learn to read lips," she said. "I think it will come in so handy."

"Anyway," Usagi was saying, stepping away from him and rubbing her hand over her eyes. "Heh, sorry I'm kind of a mess right now."

"I can sympathize," he said, with a small smile.

"At least _you_ had dinner," she said. "I mean, Mako-chan gave me some cake but-"

"C'mon," Mamoru said, turning back the way she'd come, "let's see if we can get some meat buns or something at the convenience store. It's better than nothing, right?" While in their current state, he couldn't fall back on most of the ways he knew to comfort his fiancee, but the favorite standby was always there - when it doubt: food.

Usagi gave a watery smile. "I love those things."

"I know."

"So I'm assuming you got her, or what?" Minako shouted as they started to walk away. "Keep us in the loop, please, jeeze."

"Some dinner a la Family Mart, and then I'll walk her home," he called back to her.

Minako gave him a thumbs up. Then she shifted her gaze to Usagi and her face melted into a sympathetic smile. "Hang in there, girlie."

Usagi nodded, but she was still sniffling.

It wasn't long before Usagi was perched on a stone wall near the bright lights of the local convenience store, making her ravenous way through her third meat bun.

"Better?" Mamoru asked, and she nodded.

Something about warm food was insanely comforting. She felt more full and, well, if not happy, at least more optimistic. She turned to Mamoru and noticed he was stifling a yawn, his eyes blinking slowly.

"Are you okay?" she shifted and looked at him, closer. Even in the dim streetlight, his eyes were rimmed in red.

"Yeah," he said, putting his fingers on the bridge of his nose and shaking his head a little. "It's just been a while since I've slept."

"You... Ami said you are visiting from America? You just flew in?"

He nodded, yawning again.

Usagi was silent for a bit. "You aren't really on break, are you?" she said softly.

He shook his head.

"You flew back for me," she demanded, "didn't you? You heard what happened and-"

"Don't worry about it," he told her, smiling in that way that made her heart do strange things in her chest. He reached out and brushed some hair back from her face. The brush of his fingers on her cheeks made her melt, just a little. "You needed me, I came. It's always been that way."

"Mamoru, I'm-" Usagi swallowed, bit her lip. She thought for a moment and then looked up at him. "I'm not... I don't remember but I'm ... still..." were words always this difficult? "Never mind," she mumbled. How could she tell him, even if she never remembered, she already didn't want to give him up? No matter what, she wanted to see that smile and know it was only for her. But that was stupid, he'd never believe she could fall that quickly. Anyway, if she never remembered, who's to say he'd still even want her?

"I'm good," Usagi said, jumping down off the wall. "I will eat the rest at home."

They walked in silence, past quiet streets and familiar homes. The sky was empty and dark. "Turn here-" she started and then stopped. "Oh, but you know that." It felt so strange. He'd probably been to her house before. She wondered if her parents had met him. Probably. Did they like him? Even Shingo probably knew him better than she did right now. That was depressing.

Usagi noticed Mamoru trying not to yawn again, and felt a rush of sympathy. "Get some sleep," she ordered and he jumped a little sheepishly.

"Okay, okay," he said, "Good night, Usako." He brushed his knuckle over the tip of her nose making her wrinkle it in response. Mamoru smiled. Despite it all, it was good to be around her again. He'd missed her so much.

"'Night," she said, making quick face at him to hide her blush, before turning and running for her house.

* * *

"So, any luck last night?" Minako asked, saddling up to Usagi in the hallway between classes the next day. "Was Mamoru able to get you to remember?"

"No," Usagi said, swinging her school bag a little, thinking. "But, Mina-P, I- I kind of like him."

"I am shocked," she said, not sounding shocked at all.

"But, I mean, we have years of history I don't even know!" She turned and looked at Minako mournfully, "What if I never remember? Would he even _want_ to start from scratch with me? What if we don't get along anymore? What if he just thinks it's easier to... I dunno, go back to America and date some gorgeous college movie star or whatever they have there, I don't know. I wouldn't blame him for cutting and running fr- what?" She just noticed her friend was looking at her with a strange expression.

"Usagi," Minako said, "I say this with love but, wow, you really _are_ an idiot, you know that?"

"Hey! What do y-"

"Oops! there's the bell," Minako grinned and squeezed Usagi's shoulder. "Gotta go. Don't worry, hon, it'll be fine! Byeeee!"

* * *

That afternoon found Usagi hesitantly lingering around a tree in Juuban park, picking idly at the bark and contemplating the person in front of her.

So far, he hadn't seemed to notice she was there, he was deeply involved in scribbling on a notebook resting on his knee, every so often glancing at a textbook perched on the bench next to him. Usagi had to walk this path on the way home from school, but noticing Mamoru had pulled her to a stop. She didn't want to interrupt him, it was probably important work - after all she knew he was missing classes because of her. But jeeze, she really wanted to talk to him.

"That's bad for the tree, you know," he said with a smirk, not looking up from his notes. Usagi jumped and dropped her hand guiltily.

"Uh- sorry..."

He laughed then, as he looked up at her.

"I didn't want to bother you," Usagi said as she walked up.

Mamoru closed his books put them away in his bag.

"It's just... I walk this way back from school so-"

"I know," he said, taking off his glasses. "Why do you think I'm here?"

She desperately tried to fight the blush she felt rising to her cheeks. "Oh. I thought maybe you just liked the park." She sat next to him on the bench, gingerly.

"I do," he said, and she felt like maybe she was missing something behind his words, the way he was looking at her.

"Stop doing that," Usagi said, pouting a little.

"Doing what?"

She waved her hand at him, "Saying things that mean things."

He smirked again.

"You know what I mean!" Usagi said angrily, her eyebrows knitting. "You know I don't remember! Don't tease me about it!" Her anger faded as quickly as it came and her voice broke with her last few words.

All mirth drained from his expression and Usagi hated herself.

"Usako, I'm sorr-"

"No, don't apologize," she said, looking at her hands. "None of this is your fault. I stayed up last night, reading through your letters, looking at photos, talking to Luna... but... there is still so much I don't know. Hearing something tell you - oh, this is Prince Endymion, this is Tuxedo Kamen... this is what happened, here, here, here..." Usagi pushed her fingers into her other palm as she talked. "It's not the same as knowing."

"No," he agreed quietly. "It isn't."

"But I wanna know some things," she shifted her legs, sitting up on her knees. "Can I ask you?"

"Shoot." He looked at her and for a moment she lost herself in how blue his eyes were. _Like, damn, he's good looking,_ she thought, feeling a little annoyed. How was that even _remotely_ fair? She was sure he couldn't possibly be similarly distracted by her.

"Uh... How did we meet?" she asked, "In this lifetime, I mean."

It must have been the right question to ask, the sadness in his eyes seemed to fade, and his forlorn expression was replaced with a mischievous look.

"No!" Usagi cried, at his answer. "That's not true, you have to be making it up!"

"What part of that sounds implausible to you?"

He had her there.

"Well, and then- what about Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon?"

"Same day, slightly different circumstances."

Usagi settled back onto her knees, crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly. "Go on."

He launched into a very condensed version of their interactions in battles with the Dark Kingdom, and Usagi had to interrupt him once, "Okay, come _on_. There is _no way_ I was that ridiculous about you. I mean, we had rainbow crystals to find, senshi to train, there was a lot going on, you can't tell me I was _that_ lovesick!"

"I'm just telling it like it was," Mamoru said.

"And what about Tuxedo Kamen? You are telling me you didn't feel similarly about Sailor Moon?"

"Let's just say I had much more self-control," he said with a mock-arrogant voice. Then he paused. "In the interest of full disclosure, there may have been some minor lapses in said self-control, though."

"Whatever!" Usagi cried, "I'm confirming with everyone later, just be warned."

"There are things they don't know," he said, with a look that made her heart do a double beat.

Usagi shifted a little, breaking his gaze and swinging her feet below the bench. "Uh... what do we like to do for fun?"

"Like our dates?"

"Y-yeah..." she said. The word made her stomach flutter a little.

"Lots of eating," he said, and she grinned at that. It sounded about right. "Sometimes shopping around town, simple things like that. Our favorite is movie night at my place, with Chibi-Usa, too."

"That sounds nice," she said, sincerely. Usagi twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "What else?"

He told her some of the funnier stories of their misadventures in everyday life, some sprinkling of antics from the girls or Chibi-Usa, or some particular interesting battle or event that her corrupted memories had changed slightly. Mamoru kept it lighthearted, and made Usagi erupt in giggles or gasps many times.

"Anything else you want to know?" Mamoru ran a hand through his hair. The fact remained that he'd missed her terribly these past few months and it felt good just to be in her presence; see her smile and the sparkle of her eyes - even if she wasn't completely his. Just cheering her up felt like the most important thing in the world. But that didn't mean he wasn't just _aching_ to touch her, to kiss her, the way he'd been able to until so recently.

"Do we ever argue?" she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Not really anymore but when we first met...," he trailed off, thinking. "I made you angry a lot. Mostly for calling you 'odango atama'."

"That's it?"

"Well, maybe there were other things," he put his hand on his neck, sweat dropping a little. "But to be fair, you were always hitting me with shoes or papers or running into me on the street... so maybe I ... said some things that in hindsight, might've been a little on the harsh side of teasing..."

She raised her eyebrows at him and he smiled again. "Hey, I got your attention, didn't I?" he said.

"I'm sure in a negative way!" Usagi was giggling despite herself.

"It must not have been that negative," he said, looking at her warmly. "Eventually I won you over."

"So you say," she said primly, pulling a strand of hair out in front her eyes and pretending to be very interested in checking for split ends. "I'm just here, taking your word for it."

"You'll just have to trust me," he drawled, leaning back against the bench. "I promise I meet your approval, Tsukino Usagi."

Usagi dropped the strand of hair and bit down on her lower lip again. Hearing him say her full name reminded her... "And you call me Usako?"

"Yup... well, and Odango agama, still," he grinned, "sometimes."

"Have we kissed?"

Her sudden question startled him, and for a second he was the one fighting a blush. Usagi looked at him with an openly curious expression, as if she'd merely asked their favorite restaurant. "Yes," he answered. "We... have."

"Oh," she nodded. "I guess that would make sense." _Idiot, you've been together for a couple years now. Obviously you've kissed him_. She pressed her fingertips to her mouth for a moment, deep in thought. But even searching her mind, it still came up blank. "Am I good at it?"

"W-what?" Mamoru forced himself to stop staring at her lips.

"At kissing," Usagi rolled her eyes and sat up on her knees again, facing him. "Am I good?" She didn't seem to care at all about embarrassing him, for all her shyness earlier. But Usagi could be like that, he reflected, once she set her mind on something.

"Yes," he said, finally. "Very good at it." His cheeks were warm and he knew he'd long since given up on trying not to blush. But Usagi didn't seem to notice.

"Hmm," she said, a pleased expression on her face. "Good." There was a beat. "I wish I remembered," she sighed.

"It-"

"Will - will you kiss me now?" she asked, suddenly. Her voice was timid and she was half cringing away from him, as if she expected him to say no. Instead, he gently took her chin in his hand and turned her head toward him. Usagi met his eyes for a moment, before they fluttered shut and he brushed his lips against hers in a soft kiss.

 _Oh my god._ It was only a second or two, and Usagi was so overcome with the feeling of what was, for all her present experience, her first kiss, that it took her until it was over to realize that she _hadn't_ been flooded with memories.

For a moment she didn't open her eyes, or say anything at all, just stayed where she was, with his hand still on her chin. Finally, she lifted her eyelids and looked at him. "I half expected that to work," she murmured.

"Me, too," he admitted, softly, not fully opening his eyes, or pulling away at all.

"Maybe we should try again?" she said. "I mean, just in ca-" and his lips were on hers again, with slightly more urgency this time. His hand moved from her chin across her face, catching in her hair, brushing down her neck.

After a few moments, Usagi found herself opening her mouth under his, winding her hands around his neck- when a familiar beeping sound made them both jump.

"Oh!" Usagi pulled back and nearly tumbled off the bench, catching herself just in time. "The communicator!" She pulled it out of her bag.

Ami's tiny face looked out at her. "Usagi, can you come to Rei's right now? We have some things we want to try and some brainstorming to do, regarding your memories."

"Y-yeah, sure," Usagi said, hoping her face wasn't so obviously flush on the small screen on Ami's side. "Can Mamoru come too?"

"Yes, of course. He's a part of this, as well." Ami didn't seem surprised they were together, "See you both soon."

 _There really needs to be a different ring for non-emergencies_ , Usagi thought with an internal sigh.

"Well," Mamoru stood up first, and held out his hand. "Shall we?"

* * *

I know, I know, quite a tragic lack of the girls in this chapter, but next one should be full of various antics. :)


	4. Chapter 4

The girls, plus Luna and Artemis, were all already settled in a Rei's when Usagi and Mamoru showed up.

Ami had a notebook in front of her, a pencil behind her ear and a purposeful expression on her face.

"Uh-oh, Ami has her game face on," Usagi said, warily. Usually when Ami had that gleam in her eye it meant she had some tough work planned. Usagi really hated hard work.

"You're right I do!," she said, "I was up almost all night researching possible ways we could return your memory."

"Wow," Usagi said, "Thanks, Ami. I just- thanks."

"You're welcome," Ami said, smiling at Usagi for a moment. Then she turned to Mamoru, "Glad you could make it. Having you here will definitely help."

"Did anyone bring snacks?" Usagi asked, looking around.

"Seriously, Usagi?!" Rei said, rolling her eyes. "We are gathered here specifically to help your swiss-cheese brain recall the literal love of your life- lives - whatever, and all you wanna know is if we have re _fresh_ ments?"

"Well, do you?"

"Yes, of course," Rei said, in exactly the same tone of voice, without blinking an eye. She pulled over a bag and removed some bottles of iced tea and various pre-wrapped snack goods. Usagi fell on them instantly, and Minako took a few, passing one to Makoto who looked at the packaged cookies with undisguised suspicion. The others helped themselves too.

"Thanks, Rei," Ami said. "It's never good to brainstorm on an empty stomach."

"And thanks Ami for doing all this work," Mamoru said, twisting one of her papers toward him and skimming it. "Reversing curses, and hexes," he read out loud.

"I researched everything from folklore to neurology," Ami said. "And thought to what may have worked in the past..."

"Did Luna try that mind-meld thingy on you?" Minako asked, and Luna nodded.

Usagi nodded, too, sighing. "Yeah, last night. It didn't work."

"I didn't really expect it to," Luna said. "It doesn't really work for that sort of thing."

"Right," Makoto said, putting a finger to her chin. "That's why you couldn't just return Mamoru's memories after Beryl."

"Wait, what?" Usagi said, looking up from her melon bread with confusion.

"Yeah, Mamoru didn't remember you at all after we defeated Queen Beryl," Minako said. "He didn't get his memory back for months. Thought you were just some weird kid chasing him around Tokyo."

"Huh?" Usagi shot a look at him, "You didn't mention this earlier!"

"It didn't come up," he said, shrugging a little, but looking slightly sheepish.

"And you didn't think it was, I don't know, a _teeny_ bit relevant that almost this exact same thing happened to you two before?" Rei said.

"I-," he shrugged. "Sorry," he offered to Usagi, lamely.

"Okay, but, how'd we fix it then, though?" she asked him, eagerly.

Ami cleared her throat a little. "Well, that was a bit more complicated. You see, that entire time, he had an alternative persona that housed his memories and fought along side the senshi in his absence. However, they were able to maintain completely separate entities, even occupy the same space at the same time. Anyway, after we defeated the Makaiju, they merged again and his memories returned."

"Wait," Usagi said, blinking. "What?"

"It was really quite fascinating!" Ami said, "I really wanted to explore the phenomenon further, even had some time scheduled with Mamoru to run some vitals, scans, etc, but then it got shelved indefinitely when you guys had that whole break up thing and -"

"Wait," Usagi said, again. " _What_?!"

Ami closed her mouth and flushed. "Uh. Nothing."

Usagi turned to Mamoru, "We broke _up_?"

"Uh," he paused. "Yes, for a little bit. But -"

"He had his reasons," Rei said.

"Stupid reasons," Minako muttered under her breath. Makoto elbowed her and she sighed, "Okay, okay. It bears repeating that he never stopped loving you, and was super miserable, and honestly, we all felt really bad for him after the fact."

"But then-"

"Maybe we can just focus on getting Usako her memories back?" Mamoru said, putting a hand to his forehead. "Rather than rapid-fire listing all my mistakes at her?" Hearing the girls rattle through all that like it was yesterday's news had given him pause. What if Usagi didn't want him after she remembered all the hell their love had put her through? Or, what if she wasn't remembering because she didn't want to remember?

"Sorry," they chorused, uncomfortably.

Usagi looked at Mamoru sympathetically. She put her hand on his arm and smiled. "It's okay, Mamoru," she murmured and he gave her a small smile.

"Oh, it's weird to hear you call him 'Mamoru'," Minako said, and Makoto nodded her agreement.

A guilty look fluttered across Usagi's face. "I know," she said, softly. "Luna told me that I call him Mamo-chan, I know, but...I'm just not..."

"It's okay, Usako," he said, in the same tone she'd used before to him. He wasn't going to pretend it didn't hurt, but he could manage not to cringe at her using his full name if it meant she felt comfortable. Usagi gave him a grateful look and Mamoru felt his heart twist a little.

"So if the lovebirds could stop being gross for, like, two seconds?" Rei said. "Because Ami did a lot of work and maybe we should try to actually get something done today besides perfecting our goo-goo eyes."

"Right!" Usagi said, sitting up straighter and clapping her hands together. "We'll do our best!"

"So," Ami cleared her throat a little, looking at her notebook. "Considering past experience and general fairy tale background, you may just want to try... um, kissing?" Ami blushed a little but kept her scholarly face. "I think firstly, that's the best bet. I mean, if you are comf-"

"It didn't work." Usagi shook her head, reaching for an iced tea.

"Oh!" Ami looked surprised.

"You two don't waste any time, do you?" Minako said, giggling.

"Hey, it was worth a shot," Mamoru said, although he looked a little abashed when Rei gave him a mock-exasperated look.

"Maybe you need to try again," Minako said. "Ya know, 'if at first you don't proceed, trying again makes perfect'."

 _"What?"_ Ami said.

"It didn't work the second time either," Usagi said, then she caught herself and turned bright red. This time it was Makoto who erupted into giggles.

Rei rolled her eyes at Minako. "Is baiting them like that really necessary?"

"Yes," Minako said, innocently.

"Moving right along," Mamoru said, gesturing toward Ami who gave him a grateful smile (and politely ignored the slight flush on his cheeks).

"Okay," Ami said. "My next thought is maybe the locket?"

"Oooh, good idea!" Makoto said. She dug through the bag she'd brought with whatever Usagi had left behind the night before. "It fell to the bottom so I didn't think of it." She pulled out the star locket and handed it to Usagi.

The smaller girl took it gingerly, turning it over in her hand. "I remember this," she said, softly.

There was the sound of five people (and two cats) holding their breath as Usagi thoughtfully ran her fingers over the top. She startled a little when it opened, the music began to play softly.

For a few, long moments she just starred at it, entranced. Then her lower lip trembled a little. "Usako, are you okay?" Mamoru put a hand on her shoulder and she closed her eyes, slipping the locket shut with a small 'click'.

"It's foggy and not very clear but," Usagi took a shuttering breath. "I don't think those are the right memories."

At Ami's questioning look, Usagi clarified. "Not the right lifetime," she breathed and there was a soft chorus of understanding murmurs. Mamoru tightened his grip on her shoulder and she held the locket to her chest for a moment before putting it down.

"Not super helpful, sorry," she said. The atmosphere was heavy for a bit, everyone lost in their own thoughts for a bit.

"Don't give up! I have more!" Ami said, finally. "I was thinking we could try hypnosis."

"Hypnosis?" Usagi looked concerned.

"I'm not an expert by any means," Ami said, "but I was reading up about it, and it is a way to possibly pull forward repressed memories. Not that these were repressed but... they are locked away. You may get better insight to what is happening in your mind to block Mamoru out so completely."

"Who is going to hypnotize me?" she said.

"I will try," Ami said. "And Rei is going to help you, too, since she knows meditation techniques."

"This may take a while," Rei added. "If you guys want to leave, we'll update you on the situation if it works."

Makoto and Minako exchanged looks. "I do have homework," Makoto said.

"There is a TV show on tonight I really wanna watch?" Minako said, with a 'hey at least I'm honest' shrug.

"Yes, of course. Thank you guys so much!" Usagi jumped up to hug them.

"You should go, too, Mamoru," Ami said. When he opened his mouth to protest she talked right over him. "I know you have a lot work to do," she said, quietly. "And your presence might hinder the process, anyway."

Finally, he sighed and nodded. Usagi walked him down the steps of the shrine and took his hand.

"You look tired," she said, frowning a little.

"Yeah, still not completely adjusted to the time difference," he said with a shrug. "It'll go away."

Usagi looked at their interlocked hands, guilt weighing on her shoulders. There was so much she wanted to say, and yet no words would come. "I'll call you tonight," she said, finally.

He kissed her cheek, and tugged slightly on a pigtail before walking away. This time, she watched him leave, feeling a strange sense of loss she couldn't place.

"C'mon, Usagi," Rei called from the top of the stairs, "you said you were good at sleeping, time to prove it."

It took a long time, but eventually Rei and Ami had managed to get Usagi into something like a trance state (and this time without her dozing off).

"Where are you?" Ami asked, keeping her voice soft and even.

"A pathway," she answered.

"Walk down it," Ami instructed, "remember, you are looking for your lost memories, for Mamoru. Tell me what you see."

"I want to find him," she said, "but there is a wall. He's behind it. I can't get to him!"

Rei and Ami exchanged a look.

"Tall, stone. There is no door. I'm looking. Running, and running but still... there!"

"Usagi? What do you see?"

"The door! It's... locked. Ami, it's _locked_. I can't... I need a key."

"There is a place for a key?" Rei whispered and Ami repeated the question in the same, soft, even voice she'd been using.

"Yes, there is a keyhole. I don't have the key, though."

"What's the key look like, Usagi? Do you know?"

"Heart shaped?" she sounded confused.

"The time key?" Rei whispered to Ami.

"Sure sounds like it but... what could that mean?" she whispered back.

"Maybe we go to Setsuna and ask to, I don't know, go back in time and make sure the monster doesn't attack her?" Rei sounded doubtful of her own idea.

Ami shook her head, "I don't think that could possibly be the answer, nor can I ever see Setsuna going for that."

They pressed Usagi for a few more details, which she didn't have, and Ami finally turned toward Usagi and gave the word for her to wake up.

At the snap of Ami's fingers, Usagi's eyes shot open and she looked around groggily.

"You okay?" Rei asked.

Usagi regarded her friend seriously. "I'm hungry. Can I stay for dinner?" she asked.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day was a weekend, and Usagi was just coming downstairs for breakfast when she heard her mother's cheerful we-have-company lilt mixed with a recently familiar baritone voice echoing from the doorway.

"Usagi!" her mother admonished, "You didn't tell us Mamoru was in town!"

"I- uh," she gaped a little and Mamoru gave her an apologetic smile. All Usagi could do was thank every god in heaven that she was dressed and ready for the day and not wandering downstairs in her pajamas with her hair sticking up every which way.

Ikuko had ushered Mamoru in by the arm, still smiling. "Can you stay for breakfast? Papa is out with Shingo already. I'm afraid Usagi is a bit of a late sleeper, as usual."

"Actually, I was hoping I could borrow Usagi for the day? Unless you had plans for her here." He turned to Usagi, "And if it's okay with you, Usako, of course."

"No, no, go ahead!" Ikuko said, "I was hoping for the house to myself today anyway."

"Sorry to surprise you like that," Mamoru said, once they were walking down the street together. "The girls had suggested taking you to some familiar places today, to see if it sparked anything."

"No problem," Usagi said. Then she smiled, "So I guess my family likes you?"

"Your mother does," he laughed. "Your father is... on the fence still I think."

"Hmm," she said, "that's strange. I wonder why." She looked perplexed and Mamoru gave her a side long glance and amused smile.

"So," he said, changing the subject, "since I robbed you of your mom's homemade breakfast, should our first stop be food-related?"

"Yes please!" she giggled.

They ate brunch together at a cafe ("we used to come where with Chibi-Usa a lot, and eat outside"). They walked by Crown arcade and Fruits Parlor, but avoided going inside ("I don't think I could handle lying to Motoki right now," Usagi had said and Mamoru had nodded sympathetically). Mamoru took her on a boat ride in the lake, which Usagi found delightful, but no memories returned to her. After that, they just walked around town, ducking into their favorite shops (the old lady at the stationery store seemed to recognize them, in fact).

Usagi found herself enjoying the day, despite the unsettling feeling of being shown and told things she should have already _known_.

And she hated having to regretfully tell Mamoru, "No," every time he asked if anything was coming back to her. "Sorry," she'd said, the first few times, only to have him react to her apology with a cringe. Eventually he just stopped asking, so she didn't have to answer.

Later that afternoon, they walked through the park together. It was quiet and peaceful, and Usagi tried to let herself just relax.

She noticed they were keeping in step with each other, without even trying. Maybe her muscles were linked to a different part of her brain, as if her body already knew to match his pace without even trying. Or maybe he was matching hers. Their hands brushed together sometimes.

"You're really tall, aren't you?" she said, suddenly. All day long she had to look _up_ at him, unless they were seated.

"Have you considered that you are just really short?" Mamoru said, putting a hand on her head for a just a second. Usagi tried not to think about the warmth that flooded through her at the gesture.

Instead she stopped and stood on her tip-toes, still only coming up to his chin. "Uh, I'll have you know I reached five feet at my last doctor's appointment," she informed him, stumbling only slightly. He deftly caught her around the waist and pulled her toward him for a second, and in that moment it was like her breath disappeared from her lungs. Then he released her, and it was a beat or two before he responded with a half-smile.

"Congrats," he said, "I remember being five feet. I think I was eleven."

"Ha _ha_ ," Usagi said, punching his arm a little. "So, now where to now?"

He have a laid back shrug. "I dunno," he said. "I can't think of any other specific place."

"This was fun, though," she offered, looking up and giving him an encouraging smile, which he returned easily.

"Do you want to rent a movie?" Usagi asked. Even as she spoke, she knew it was a stupid idea. How would that help her remember? "You said it was something we used to do..."

But he agreed, and she realized she was really happy not to have to part ways with him just yet.

"This is a nice place," Usagi said, walking around his apartment, slowly. She was observing, touching each kick-knack, looking carefully at each framed photograph, running her hands across the spines of the books on the bookshelf. Mamoru leaned against the wall and watched her with a soft expression in his face.

"It's in good shape for you not living here," she said. A little dusty but otherwise...

"Yeah, I just left it mostly as-is," he said. "I knew I'd be visiting a lot."

After what happened with Galaxia, Mamoru decided to try again at study abroad on the condition that he returned every chance he got. Holidays and breaks weren't used for extra study or travel, like he'd planned the first time, but for returning to Tokyo to spend even a few days with Usagi. Money and time be damned. Death has a way of changing your priorities.

"You might come here sometimes, when I'm gone," he continued. "I told you that you could, anyway." He smiled at the surprise on her face.

"I-," Usagi looked around. "I guess I'm here a lot, huh?" For some reason, the thought hadn't even occurred to her. She'd been looking around like a guest or a stranger, but of course, if they were dating, she'd probably been here at least sometimes.

"You've had a key for a couple years now," Mamoru said. Actually, most of his bathroom and at least two drawers of his dresser had been taken over by Usagi by now - various toiletries and a bunch of manga somehow materialized, hair ties and pins and a jacket or two, had all found their homes nestled among his things. Both Usagi and Chibi-Usa (he couldn't bring himself to throw it out) had toothbrushes there, too.

"Oh." Usagi came to the coffee table in the middle of the room and paused. It was strewn with books and papers, and a laptop computer, off to the side. Usagi suddenly felt so stupid and selfish. Mamoru wasn't even supposed to be here. He was supposed to be in school. Usagi knew from Ami that every day he missed was a determent, and that his grades at university were very important to him.

"I think I should go," she found herself saying, before she even realized it.

Mamoru looked baffled, and a little hurt. "Why?"

"I mean so you can get some work done," Usagi explained, with a smile. "I've been hogging up all your time."

"No-," before he could protest more, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, and he returned the hug. Usagi wished his embrace was familiar, she knew it was supposed to be. But it was still really nice.

"Mamoru," she looked up at him, and then closed her mouth against the words bubbling up inside her. _I don't want to lose this, no matter what._ Instead she just shook her head slightly, smiling again. "Even though it didn't work to return my memories... thanks for today."

"Anytime."

* * *

The next morning, Usagi headed to Rei's as planned and saw three familiar and unexpected faces waiting for her inside the shrine.

"Haruka! Michiru! Hotaru! It's been a while!" Usagi greeted them cheerfully before engulfing Hotaru in a tight hug. From behind her someone cleared their throat. "Setsuna!" Usagi greeted her with a hug as well.

"It's always a treat to see you, princess," she said, smiling that Setsuna smile of hers.

"The girls here have been updating us on the situation," Haruka said.

Usagi tilted her head and asked, "They called you for help?"

"They called _me_ , actually," Setsuna said, with a slightly chiding smile at her family, "but some folks insisted on tagging along."

"We wanted to help our friend," Michiru said, sweetly.

"I believe your exact words were 'this should be interesting'," Haruka pointed out, "but okay." Michiru gave her a look.

The girls filled the outer senshi in on the issues, and what they've tried so far. Usagi gave a brief - and slightly abridged - summary of the day before, adding that nothing helped to spark her memory.

Haruka rested her chin on her hand. "So, you don't know if you need this 'special key' or if it was a metaphor or what."

"You and your screwed up subconscious not giving us clear answers," Minako said, glaring at Usagi, who shrugged guiltily.

Ami turned to Setsuna. "We wondered if maybe it was the time key?"

The senshi of time raised an eyebrow. "I do not think that is the solution you seek," Setsuna said, "It doesn't make sense in the time stream. Plus, you're not getting it anyway."

"Anything in the fire?" Hotaru asked Rei, who shook her head.

"I wonder," Michiru said, then stopped, putting her hands together gracefully and resting her chin on them.

"What?" Makoto asked.

"Tell us what you think, Michiru," Usagi added. "Please?" At this point, she was ready to try anything.

Michiru continued, softly, her eyes focused off in the distance. "I wonder, if maybe Usagi isn't... clinging to her amnesia? On purpose?"

The response was shouted in various degrees of surprise and (in Usagi's case) offense.

"You think I'd do this on purpose?!" Usagi cried.

"No, no," Michiru continued, "I just meant, maybe subconsciously, you don't want to remember."

"Why?" she asked, still looking at her friend with a confused, and hurt, expression.

"Because," Michiru looked at Usagi with no small amount of sympathy, "because once you remember, Mamoru will return to America."

Usagi blinked, sinking down onto her knees.

"He came back for you, because of this predicament you are in..."

"And since he's been back, he's barely left your side," Rei said, thoughtfully nodding. "He's being really wonderful to you - not that Mamoru wasn't always good to you - but lately, it's as if he's trying to win you over all over again."

"And, with your history, you never really got that before," Minako said.

"Maybe part of you - a part you can't control - wants to keep that for a while longer?" Michiru finished.

Haruka seemed taken aback. "You really think she's capable of that?"

"I think anyone might be," Michiru said, "considering the circumstances. I'm sure she missed him terribly. I can only imagine if I found myself in a similar situation."

"You wouldn't," Haruka said, gruffly. Michiru shook her head and gave Haruka a knowing smile that somehow made the other seven people in attendance feel like third wheels.

"Um, I dunno, guys," Makoto looked doubtful, "you didn't see her the day after we met Mamoru in the park. Or when I showed her the pictures. Usagi isn't enjoying this at all."

Usagi sent her brunette friend a grateful look.

"I'm not saying she caused it," Michiru said. "Just that somehow maybe her own subconscious is blocking our attempts to fix it. Especially if that means she gets to be with the person she loves."

Minako shook her head, obviously agreeing with Makoto that it didn't seem very plausible.

Usagi bit her lip and lowered her head.

She thought of the sorrow she'd seen Mamoru try to hide every time he watched her face for a spark of recognition that never came. About Ami staying up nights to research, Rei sweating in front of the fire, Makoto keeping her mementos safe and Minako running interference and that damn wall in her mind where everything was locked away.

"I'm not doing this," Usagi said, looking at her friends desperately. "I promise, I am _not_." _Am I?_

"It was just a possibility," Michiru said, with a shrug.

Usagi stood up abruptly, grabbed her purse. "I have to go."

"If I caused any offense-" Michiru started but Usagi silenced her with a genuine smile.

"You didn't," she assured her senshi. "But I just realized there is something I have to do."

She turned at the doorway, "Take the day off, okay girls? For me?"

It took her a short while to find Mamoru's apartment again, she took a wrong turn or two before using yesterday's landmarks to find her way to the lobby. A girl about Mamoru's age was there, checking her mailbox. She gave Usagi a friendly smile and wave, like she recognized her, and Usagi waved back, uncomfortably. It seemed the memory block spread to even the formerly familiar faces of the apartment complex.

When Mamoru opened to door, he seemed surprised and happy to see her but his smile faded when he saw the look on her face.

"Everything okay, Usako?"

She just shook her head, curled her hand around her purse strap again. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her head and met his eyes dead-on. "Mamoru, you have to go back to America."


	6. Chapter 6

Mamoru didn't acknowledge her words right away. Instead, he just said, "Come on in, then," and took a step back to open the door wider. Usagi took off her shoes and jacket, sitting down on her knees in front of his coffee table with careful deliberateness.

His books and schoolwork were spread out on the table, and she touched the end of his notebook, scanning the page. His careful handwriting filled the page, mostly in English with little glosses and notes scribbled in kanji and kana in the margins. Usagi felt over her head. This man was so utterly different from her. How were they together? What did he see in her? Was that a mystery her missing memories would be able to solve, she wondered. So, what would happen if she never recovered them?

"So," he sat next to her, began to gather his books and papers together. "Why do I have to leave, again?"

"It's just," Usagi took a deep, shuttering breath. "I am not remembering anything. I am sure I will! But we don't know how long it will take. Everyone's life is on hold for this, and it shouldn't be."

Her heart hurt a little, trying to imagine going back to her day to day life and just shelving an enormous matter like this. Without her memories, without their history, how could she expect him to continue to wait for her? It wasn't something she could ask of him.

"I don't want to leave before this is all settled," he said, firmly.

"Mamoru, that could be weeks! Months!" she twisted so she was facing him, meeting his gaze with a stubborn look. "What will happen? Will you fail out of college? Do you think I want that on my head?!"

He opened his mouth to protest, but no words came. He hated to admit it, but she had a point. It wasn't fair of him to lay all this at her feet.

"Maybe once you go, and the pressure is off, I might even remember on my own," Usagi said hoping her tone conveyed the confidence she didn't feel. Mamoru didn't seem to buy it, either. "Michiru seemed to think it was possible..."

"Michiru has been known to be wrong before," Mamoru pointed out, raising his brows a little. But at Usagi's pout he conceded.

"Alright," he sighed. "I'll think about tying things up here and heading back."

"No," she said, shaking her head determinedly, "Book your flight. Now. I'm watching." She pointed her finger at him and narrowed her eyes, and Mamoru was reminded instantly of all the times she'd made that exact face at him ("eat your peppers!" "finish this chapter tomorrow and go to sleep!" "don't eat the last piece of cake (it's mine)!"). It was lonely being the only one to remember those situations. It would be lonelier still in America, without knowing if she even cared to wait for him back home.

Reluctantly, he stood and walked to the phone, punching in the number for the travel agency while returning to his seat next to Usagi. While he spoke on the phone, Usagi clenched her teeth and tried not to cry.

"Oh, that may be too soon," Mamoru was saying into the phone. "Hold on." He turned to Usagi, with his hand over the mouthpiece, "The next available seat is on a flight early tomorrow morning."

Usagi nodded. "Take it," she said. Might as well pull the band-aid off quickly, right?

For a moment he looked at her, eyes sad. Then he turned back to the phone, all business. "Yes, I'll take that one," he said, jotting down info on his notebook with a pencil.

"Okay, done," he said, hanging up the phone.

"Thanks," she said. It felt strange to smile when she felt like crying.

"I guess I better pack," he said, giving a calculating look around the apartment.

"Yeah, I should... let you get to that..." Usagi twisted her fingers through her hair. "I guess this is... good bye."

"For now," he said, giving that same look he'd given her his first night back, outside her house. Fond. And subdued. And something she initially couldn't place, but now seemed to be longing.

Usagi shut her eyes so she wouldn't have to see it.

"I want you to go back so you don't throw this away for me!" she cried, her eyes still squeezed shut. "Because I couldn't live with myself otherwise! That's why you need to go. Not because I don't want you here, but because if you don't and you lose this chance it will break my heart!" When only silence greeted her outburst, Usagi cautiously opened one eye to see Mamoru looking at her with a soft expression.

"Funny, you said almost the exact same thing to me before," he murmured and she blinked in surprise. He gave her a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.

"I'll be back soon, for a real visit," Mamoru said, a little later, bringing an empty suitcase out of the other room. "And you call me as soon as you remember everything, got that? Even if it's the middle of the night."

She nodded, giving him a watery smile. "'Kay."

"Here," Mamoru said, opening his school bag and pulling out a tiny manila envelope. "Minako reminded me to pick this up at Osaka's for you."

She took it with a confused look, and shook a sparkling ring out into her palm. "This is..."

"Apparently it wasn't fitting you right and you were worried you'd lose it, so it was being resized," he explained. "I want you to have it, no matter what."

Usagi picked up the ring and held it up. Even in the dim light of the apartment it sparkled, pink and gold and beautiful. "This is from you?" Her heart was pounding. He'd given her a ring?

He nodded. "You don't have to wear it," he said, "I just thought you should have it. Maybe it'll make you think of me sometimes."

She didn't look up from where she was staring at it, glittering in her palm. The implications of such a gift were hard to ignore. "This is an engagement ring, isn't it?" She asked, throat dry.

It was a while before he answered, almost sheepishly. "Yeah," he answered, running his hand through his hair, suddenly nervous. "The idea was we'd wait until you graduated high school."

He hurried to add, "Obviously, it's different now. You are so young, and you probably didn't expect to be engaged to someone you barely know," he laughed, humorlessly. "There is no need-"

"It's beautiful," Usagi interrupted, her eyes damp again.

So, he wasn't just her boyfriend, he was her fiancé. They were going to get married.

And she'd forgotten it all.

The dam burst.

"You won't lose me," Usagi cried, suddenly. "Remembering, not remembering, I don't care!" She stood in front of him, the ring held tightly in her fist. "You w- you won't lose me, Mamoru. Mamo-chan." She corrected, the name sounding strange in her mouth... but not unpleasant. "I want to be with you!" She looked at him apprehensively, while his eyes searched hers intently. "That is... if you... if you still want me."

He looked surprised, and she barreled into him before he had a chance to answer. She wrapped both her arms around his waist, tightly, burying her head in his chest and fighting sobs. Why did she always have to cry at times like this?

Mamoru leaned into the familiarity of her embrace and tried to stay afloat on the tidal wave of relief that had rocked him as soon as she'd shouted those words. Y _ou won't lose me._

 _Oh, thank god._

"Usako," he tried to gently push her shoulders back, but she stubbornly held on. "Usako, look at me."

Finally she let him pull back, tears still falling freely from her eyes.

"Of course I still want you," he said, quietly. Then his lip pulled up, just a little. "Don't be stupid, odango atama."

"Really?" she sniffled, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand. "Even if I don't ever remember?" the thought made her lip tremble.

"Yes," he said, "but you will, Usako, I am sure of it." He took her hand and led her to sofa. Usagi sat down and he sat beside her, rubbing her back comfortingly.

She put her fists on her knees and opened her hand. The ring had left a heart-shaped indent in her palm. She traced it with a fingertip, thoughtfully.

"I wonder..."

Usagi slid the ring on the third finger of her left hand, and it felt for a moment like habit. Then she cried out, putting her hands on her forehead.

"Usako, are you okay? What's wrong?" Mamoru put his hand on her shoulder, looking worried.

"It feels like I ate ice cream too fast," she said, still pressing her hands to her head. The pain dissipated quickly, leaving as quickly as it came.

"Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth."

Usagi gave him an exasperated look. "I didn't _actually_ eat ice cream too fast."

"Oh, right."

Usagi let her gaze shift to the papers on the desk, Mamoru's handwriting was suddenly as familiar as her own. The apartment was a second home.

It wasn't like remembering. It was like having never forgotten.

Mamoru was still looking at her with confusion and concern. For a moment she took him in, really looked at him, reading his expression like an open book. Every movement of his eyes, every line of his face, the tug of his lips.

Her eyes softened, and she tenderly brushed some hair back from his eyes. "Oh, Mamo-chan," she breathed. He'd been through so much these past few days.

Mamoru looked at her, hardly daring to hope. But her touch was suddenly confident, her gaze understanding. Usagi was looking at him like she knew him, better than anyone had ever known him, better than he knew himself, and in that moment he knew she was back.

"You remember."

"Everything," she said, a smile breaking across her face. "Sorry for making you wait, Mamo-chan," she said, as he pulled her into his arms. Like second nature, she settled on his lap, facing him, knees on the sofa and forehead touching his. This was familiar, this was perfect, this was _home._

And then, for the first time since he'd landed in Tokyo, _she_ kissed him.

 _Really_ kissed him - like she'd been missing him for months, like she'd been loving him for years. Frantically, with teeth and tongue and the exact way to pull on his lower lip to make him growl, deep in his throat. He curled his hand around the back of her head, the other pressing into her waist, pulling her closer and responding with nearly unhinged desperation.

"God, I missed you," he breathed, pressing his lips to her neck.

"Mamo-chan, I really asked you if we'd ever kissed before," Usagi reminded him, pulling back a little and giggling.

"You did," he confirmed, "It was _adorable_." She giggled again, before closing the gap between them one more time. 

* * *

"So I guess I remembered as soon as I put on the ring?" Usagi's voice echoed through the phone and on the other end of the line Ami slapped herself in the forehead. After talking with Usagi for a few more minutes, Ami hung up the phone, shaking her head, and relayed the conversation for the inner senshi, who were still hanging out at Rei's, talking and eating.

"Of course!" Minako said, "It's heart-shaped and everything! How did I miss that?"

"It makes sense, too," Ami added, "Usagi wasn't wearing the ring when she was attacked. The spell didn't stretch to that object, it was a physical representation of their love-"

"Are you going to say 'the power of love', Ami?" Minako teased and the other girl flushed a little.

"Well, maybe it was!"

"So Michiru was wrong," Makoto said, thoughtfully. "She seemed so sure."

Ami shrugged, "It was as good a guess as any. And, who knows, Usagi said she asked Mamoru to return to school and he agreed so maybe that did help."

"Maybe it was coincidence," Rei said, "and the spell had a time limit? Or maybe something else triggered it entirely, something Usagi said or did beforehand..."

Minako shrugged, tossing blonde hair over a shoulder. "Who cares? Point is: it worked, she remembers him, everything is totally cool now. Let's eat."

"Wait, though, is Usagi coming back?" Makoto asked. "'Cause I baked her favorite cookies and everything."

Ami shook her head. "So, I guess Mamoru is leaving super early tomorrow morning and Usagi's gonna stay for a bit and help him pack."

"'Help him pack'," Minako said, deadpanned. "Gross. That's gross, Ami."

"Oh come on you pervert!," Rei cried, throwing up her arms. "Not everything is a double entendre! They probably just want some time together now that she's actually knows who he is."

"'Time together'? Gross, Rei."

Rei seethed slightly, sucking in breath through her teeth. "Minako, I swear to god-"

"Aww, is Mamoru gonna leave without saying good-bye to us, though?" Makoto said, "I mean, with everything we did to help them!"

"True, I would like to see him off, as well," Ami agreed.

"Well, I think the only thing to do is gather up the snacks and head on over there," Minako said, nodding decisively.

The girls exchanged looks and seemed to agree. "Could be fun, a mini bon voyage party," Ami said, "Now that everything is alright again."

"Sounds like a plan," Rei said, getting a bag to put the food in. "Let's head over there now."

"Just ya know, we'll be sure to knock really loudly first."

"MINAKO."


End file.
